Spring/Summer Energy Saving Tips
The following tips will save you energy and help your budget during warmer weather.
- Look for ENERGY STAR air conditioners. They are the most energy efficient models on the market.
- Replacing your old central air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model can reduce your cooling costs by 20 percent.
- If possible, keep your room air conditioner out of the sun. Room air conditioners work best when kept cool. Installing one in a north-facing wall is usually ideal.
- If you have central air conditioning, keep your thermostat at 78 degrees. You can also save approximately an additional six to seven percent off your cooling costs for each degree above 78.
- If your air conditioner does not have a thermostat, adjust it to a lower setting, or combine using it with a window or ceiling fan to cool things down.
- Consider installing a ceiling fan. During hot weather a ceiling fan will create a cool breeze and keep the air circulating in your home.
- Get rid of hot air. Use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of your kitchen while you’re cooking. The savings on your cooling costs far outweigh the electricity used by the fan. Also, take lukewarm showers and baths to avoid humid air, which holds more heat.
- A dehumidifier can greatly add to your electric bill. Make sure you have the appropriate sized dehumidifier for your home.
- Close blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest part of the day. This keeps the strong sunlight from heating your home.
- Use your microwave or countertop appliances for cooking instead of the oven or stove.
- What says summer better than burgers and hot dogs? Instead of using your oven or stove, which can generate heat on an already hot day, fire up the outdoor grill for cooking. You can also use your microwave or other countertop appliances in place of the stove or oven.
- Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to save money on your electricity bill. If you have children in the house, this is also a safety measure.
- Install ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent light bulbs in your most-used fixtures and lamps. Fluorescent bulbs put out less heat, plus you’ll save $30 to $40 in energy costs over the life of each bulb.
- Check your heating and cooling system to make sure it is operating at peak efficiency.
- Postpone laundry and dishwashing until nighttime to avoid generating extra heat in your home. Also, consider taking advantage of the warmer air and dry your laundry outside.
- Don’t forget about your own energy. Wearing lighter clothing can help cool you down without turning on the air conditioner. Also, remember to stay hydrated during extreme temperatures.
- If you have a pool, turn off your filter overnight when the pool is not in use.
Fall/Winter Energy Saving Tips
The following tips will save you energy and help your budget as the weather cools down.
- Set your thermostat no higher than 68 degrees when you are home and lower the temperature when you go to bed or when you are not at home. This will ensure optimal home heating and save energy.
- For every degree you lower your thermostat you save about 2 percent off your heating bill.
- Cut annual heating bills by as much as 10 percent a year by turning your thermostat back 10 to 15 percent for eight hours a day.
- Weatherize your home by caulking and weather-stripping all doors and windows. Also use locks on your windows to make them tighter and draft resistant.
- Insulate or increase the amount of insulation in your attic, basement and outside walls. Also cover through-the-wall air conditioners to prevent cold air from leaking into your home.
- Reducing air leaks could cut 10 percent from an average household's monthly energy bill. The most common places where air escapes homes are: floors, walls, ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing penetrations, doors, windows, fans, vents and electrical outlets.
- Keep shades and curtains open during the day on the south side of your home to allow solar heating. Close them at night to retain heat.
- Don't block your radiators or heating vents with furniture or draperies. Keep your radiators, registers and baseboard heaters dirt and dust free. Close vents and doors in unused rooms.
- Have your heating system serviced once a year and regularly replace furnace filters. During the heating season, change or clean furnace filters once a month.
- Close the fireplace damper when not in use.
- Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to save money on your energy bill. If you have children in the house, this is also a safety measure
- Install water-flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets.
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall to reflect heat back into the room.
Energy Saving Facts
There are many things you can do around the house to help save money and energy all year long.
- Remember three important words: turn it off. Don't leave the video game on pause, or the computer in sleep mode. Those electronics are still using energy, even when you aren't using them.
- If you aren't in the room, turn off the lights. Always remember to flick that switch, or unplug that light when you leave the room.
- You can make it easy to turn off all those home electronics like TV's, DVD players, computers and more. Simply plug them into power strips, and then turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
- Modern washing machines use less water to get clothes just as clean. They also spin faster, squeezing more water out and reducing drying time.
- Use ENERGY STAR-labeled lighting for outdoor fixtures and other lights left on for more than four hours
- ENERGY STAR qualified appliances use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models.
- Weather-stripping drafty doors and windows can reduce your heating bill by 10 percent.
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you $40 to $50 over their lifetime.
- Replacing 25 percent of the lights in your high-traffic areas with compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you about 50 percent on your lighting expenses.
- Those high-definition televisions are great, but keep in mind they use six times as much energy as a regular television.
- Well thought out plantings can cut your summer cooling and winter heating costs dramatically.
- Turning off a second refrigerator can save you up to $15 a month.
- Speaking of refrigerators, do you know what you want to grab out of there before you open that door. Standing in front of an open fridge uses up more energy than you think.
- An easy way to manage energy costs and save money year round is to turn your water heater down to 120 degrees.
- Reduce your electric bill $75 a year just by switching to an ENERGY STAR washing machine.
- If you replace five frequently used lights in your home with energy efficient bulbs you can save up to $60 a year.
Energy Calculators
Use the Energy Calculators to identify potential costs savings and energy usage through the purchase of energy efficient appliances.
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